Looking Back - Big J's Birth Story

It was quite a surprise when I found out I was pregnant with big J. I was 21 at the time and although having children was definitely something we wanted we hadn’t been trying. Finding out I was pregnant was definitely a nice surprise and I think I ‘Grew up’ very quickly after seeing the positive on the pregnancy test. John and I had only been together a year but it felt right and we were extremely excited.

Our New Year Bucket List

I hadn't thought about writing a bucket list before as I thought a bucket list was things you wanted to do before you die. However, I have noticed that some people have seasonal bucket lists on their blogs. They write down all of the things they want to do in the following three months. We have had a little think and there are a few things we want to do so I've decided to write them down.

Our New Year Bucket List 2016

Personalise Your Accessories At JD Sports

When big J was in primary school he never wanted to take a school bag, he didn't feel there was a need for it as he had the schools own book bag. Since he started seniors that changed, in fact his school bag has become a big deal.

Good Money Habits For Your Children

Yesterday when I was writing my Parenting #ToddlersAndTeens post I suddenly realised big J is a teenager. He's 13 years old age and it’s scary just how quickly he has grown up. One minute he's a little boy toddling around depending on us for everything, and the next he's this person who seems to be able to live his own life and the need for us is greatly reduced.

As you will know little J is a toddler and it's hard to believe that one day he will be a teenager too. You think that day will never come, but it will it will come much sooner than you think! That’s why it’s never too early to start teaching your children good money habits and preparing them for when they head off into the big, wide world.

Big J enjoying a trip to cinema with friends, using his own pocket money.

Birthday Soccer Blast At Goals

Big J has had a birthday party most years and we have done everything from bowling to a double decker play bus outside our house. I love birthday parties but I guessed this year big J wouldn't want a 'party' as he will be 13 soon and maybe he would want to just do something with a few of his friends. I was almost right he did want to do something with his friends but he didn't want to make a big deal out of it. I guess its not cool to have a birthday party with balloons and stuff when you are turning 13.

Project 365 Days 123 - 129

Double birthday celebrations this week for big J and I. I cannot believe he is a teenager already, where does the time go?

We had a lovely week of presents and parties.

123/365 - The birthday celebrations have begun

Project 365 Days 123 - 129

Double birthday celebrations this week for big J and I. I cannot believe he is a teenager already, where does the time go?

We had a lovely week of presents and parties.

123/365 - The birthday celebrations have begun

DreamWorks - Home

Last weekend we were lucky to receive preview tickets to see the new Dreamworks movie HOME. I hadn't heard of it until I received the tickets and googled. Big J had already viewed a trailer of the movie and it was on his 'to see' list. 

Spring Has Sprung

I am so excited that Spring is finally here. Its actually unusual for me to be so excited about Spring as I do love Winter but this year I am so glad to see this long, cold, wet and miserable Winter finally pass. Since November we have just had one illness after another and I know we weren't the only ones suffering, everyone has been feeling ill, with coughs and colds.  At the weekend I woke up and I felt okay. I couldn't believe it. No sore throat, no cough or cold symptoms, just normal. What a relief. 

Project 365 Days 61-67

Its been a lovely dry week this week so plenty of chances to head out in the garden for some fresh air.  

61/365 - My week got off to a very good start when I lost albs. I started slimming world the week before and I am really enjoying it. I don't actually feel like I am on a diet and I am amazed with my weight loss. I know when you start dieting you always lose more in the first week but its really motivated me to do good.

Big J Trys An Experience Prize Thanks To Weetabix

Weetabix and Red Nose Day have teamed up to offer 9 amazing experience prizes in their pick a nose competition. Big J is lucky to be trialling one of the prizes that is on offer.

Big J was chosen to trial the Karate Konk training experience. The prize is 3 months Karate lessons plus a full years karate membership.

Once we had found a karate club that was close to home we were ready to join. The classes run for 1 hour and there are different sessions depending on ability. Big J is a beginner as he has never done Karate before.

 

We arrived as requested 20-30 minutes before the session started. Big J filled out his registration forms. He was shown the time table of different classes available. There was karate, kung fu and kickboxing. Big J chose kickboxing.

There was a shop on site for selling everything you might need. There was so much choice.

Once we had signed up we were shown around and big J starts next week. he is really looking forward to it. He has never shown an interest in anything like this before but after having a look round he is really keen and excited.

There are so many amazing experiences to be won on the Pick Your Nose competition, this is just one of them.

You could also win a trip to a Planetarium, The Zoo or The Aquarium plus more and there is also a mystery prize.

All you need to do to enter is buy a special pack of Weetabix and enter the unique code here for your chance to win. Also Weetabix will donate 5p from every pack to Comic Relief, helping people across the UK and Africa. 

Make sure you keep an eye out for more posts about big J's karate experience.

*we were asked to trial the above prize in return for a blog post. All thoughts and any opinions are our own*

Decisions Decisions

So big J came home this week with two very important letters from school which will lead to a very important decision. Both letters were basically the same except for the first two paragraphs. Both letters were about the 2015 school trip. The first trip to choose from was a Trip to Andalucia. With excursions to costa del sol, Granada, Ronda, Puerto Banus and a one hour flamenco lesson, visit to Alhambra Palace and Aqualand Water Park The second is a Trip to Northern France. With excursions to Calais, Boulogne, Le Touquet, a visit to Aqualud Water Park, Nausica Sea Centre and Bagatelle theme park. The prices were included on the letters and Spain was £140 more but for me it would be so much better because it's flights rather than a coach. I went to France on a coach and it's soooooo long and boring. Big J has been away on three trips so far in junior school but none in seniors yet. He went to kingswood on a two day activity holiday, a five day trip to France which he loved and a full weeks skiing holiday in yr 6. We have never been skiing before and it's weird to think he has done it without us and he was only 10 at the time. The deposit is due in less than two weeks time which I think is a little naughty as it's £150 and there is not a lot of notice to get that sort of money together so quickly before Christmas but I know he really wants to go so we will dig deep and find some pennies. All 15,000 of them. So for now he needs to have a think about both of the destinations and which one he would prefer but I know he will discuss it with his friends first and whatever they all decide on that will be the one he chooses.

Big J is Bottom

Ever since big J walked on the stage in his nursery play as Jesus he has always looked like that is where he is meant to be - on stage!    This was one of the things I knew I would miss as big J moved from primary to senior school - the school plays.    Over the years he has sang in the choir, at summer fairs, duets, and solos. He has been a tree, Jesus, a bull even a can of coke.   When he told me he had been given a part in his schools drama festival I was so excited. When I asked him what or who he was he said "I'm bottom, I'm a donkey"   For those like me who haven't got a clue, Nick Bottom is a character out of Midsummer Night's Dream.   He was really excited and he had quite a few lines considering it was only a 20 minute version of the play. We managed to get him a donkey mask from Amazon and he just needed to wear his own clothes.   We purchased our tickets a week before the play and I couldn't wait. I just love it when big J is on stage. He looks so comfortable and he isn't shy at all. He goes on and the audience just love him.   I have asked him over and over to do drama but he won't. He enjoys acting and singing so I don't know why but I don't want to push him when it's not something he wants to do.    The weekend before the play big J got a really bad cold. I wasn't sure whether he would be able to do it on the Tuesday but he slept most of Sunday and managed to make it to rehearsals on the Monday. Tuesday morning little J and I woke with the worst cough, cold and runny nose. I was gutted. There was no way I could make it. I felt terrible, when I told him he did try and throw a mini tantrum but he understood.   

Daddy got to see the play and said he was brilliant. He had the audience laughing and was just great like I knew he would be. Daddy is familiar with the play because he starred it in too in school. He was Oberon King of the Fairies.   I'm not sure whether big J will pursue his acting in the future but for now he gets a HUGE Well Done.
 

Brotherly Love

I've touched on this briefly here about the age gap between my two monkeys. It's almost 11 years but at this moment in time that gap doesn't seem to matter

They are so loving towards each other and big J would do anything for his brother. I honestly thought that it would be a struggle to keep these two entertained but they both get on so well. Little J absolutely adores his big brother and just wants to play with him all the time. 

I love sitting watching them play together, it's just lovely. Big J is so patient and spends lots of time with little J. I knew big J would be a great big brother but I didn't expect him to spend so much of his free time making his little brother laugh so much.

After school big J will come home and will spend time with little J while I make tea, clean up etc. He doesn't need to be asked he just does it because he wants to. I often come into the living room and find them rolling round the floor laughing. It's hilarious.  The two of them are crazy.

Now big J is getting older its nice to see them both celebrating special occasions together, Easter, Christmas, birthdays and Halloween last year.

We've still managed to keep up our days out as we love spending time as a family and we are choosing places which are suitable for both of them. We have been to Alton Towers a few times and I love it how big J will spend lots of time with little J in Cbeebies land even though he loves all the big fast rides.

I know there will be times when big J won't be able to spend as much time with little J but that's okay, I understand. I know the love these two have for each other is so strong and they will be friends for life.

They Say An Only Child Is A Lonely Child

I honestly didn't expect big J to adapt to being a big brother as quickly as he did. He had been on his own for almost 11 years, then suddenly this other person popped up and wanted and needed lots of attention. 

Big J spent those 11 years being the only child and only grandchild too. I was an only child and I never really thought about it much. I may have said in passing that I would love a brother or a sister but that would be all really. I never needed a brother or a sister I was quite happy on my own. They say an only child is a lonely child but I never saw myself as lonely and I never looked at Big J that way either.

He has lots of friends and never had a problem socialising or making new friends. He would have friends over for tea or come with us on days out and I think that would have happened anyway even if there was a brother or a sister. We never just invited kids over or out with us because he was an only child, it was because that's just what we do, even now.

Big J was never one for playing alone and he would always play with us but that didn't bother us. I love playing and big J knew that so we would always get stuck in.  Growing up I loved playing with my mum and dad but I also loved playing alone too. I had lots of friends but I did enjoy my own company and I am still like that now. I love it sometimes when I have the house to myself or little J is sleeping. I never get bored and can keep myself entertained, pottering round. 

I had a thought this morning that because there is a huge age gap between my two monkeys, little J might at times feel like an only child. We are happy being a family of four so there won't be any additions in the future so growing up little J will be just the same as big J really.  The thought didn't make me sad or feel the need to have another baby it was just a thought that I hope little J will be able to make friends as easily as his brother.  What do you think of a big age gap?

Teaching my Teen to be Clean

We are almost at that time when big J becomes a teenager. It's not a time I'm actually looking forward to because I remember what I was like when I was a teen. You may remember a post I did here on big J becoming quite dirty. Dirty in the sense he leaves stuff lying round, empty glasses on his window ledge and clothes scattered on the floor. I'm not sure whether it's a boy thing or a soon to be teen thing or both?   Andrex has  recently released a clean report and some of the information and statistics were quite a surprise.   Big J and I had a read of the clean report together which states that 1 in 4 people are not sure how to clean themselves.  We had a chat about his body and hormones Big J knows that when you become a teenager your body changes and it is important to keep it clean. 
Some people don't feel comfortable talking about certain topics but that can leave people unsure on how to do something. I am quite open about most things and not shy at all.    Being the only girl in our house I have to put my foot down quite a lot because our bathroom can sometimes become quite messy and smelly.  

 Andrex researched what 'How To' topics people google and a whopping 65.7 million were how to wash your hands and 1.19 million searches were how to wipe your bottom properly.    Knowing how to wipe yourself is also very important, it's simple but you will be surprised how many people don't know which way is right.  

Personal hygiene is so important and has an overall effect on how you are as person. If you feel clean and fresh you will feel happier and more confident.   We use a mixture of toilet tissue and toilet wipes in our house but 27% of people researched say wipes are for babies and toddlers.  We love using wipes, they are a great way to help you feel that extra bit cleaner.  

The Andrex Clean Report shows us an easy to follow 5 step process on using the bathroom and you can find out more information by visiting Andrex

*this is a sponsored post - all thoughts above are my own*

Big J is now a Young Driver At Just 12 Years Old

I had one very excited son on Sunday when he took his first ever driving lesson at just 12 years old. You might be wondering how he is having driving lessons so young, well its thanks to a company called Young Driver and Goodyear Driving Academy who have teamed up to teach children the importance of road safety.  

Big J did a 4k Run for Charity

After weeks of getting himself prepared and training, last week Big J did a 4k run for charity.   The Edmund Rice run is an annual event that is organised to help raise much needed funds to aid the work of the Christian Brothers in West Africa.    Edmund Rice is the founder of two religious institutes of religious brothers. The Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers.   After the death of his wife and the birth of his disabled daughter he devoted his life to education, servicing the poor and the Irish republican cause.   Big J gained lots of sponsors and his money will be going to support Kanvilli Roman Catholic Junior Secondary School in Tamale, Northern Ghana.   Before being handed over to the Christian Brothers, Kanvilli School was really rundown and poorly managed. Since then classrooms have been renovated and roofs repaired. Water supply and toilets have been installed. Overall scores have improved by 80%   The school celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011.  We are very proud of Big J for being involved in raising funds for such a worthwhile cause.   WELL DONE BIG J.  

Birthday Wishlist for a 12 year old boy

The Star Wars Clone Wars Season 5

Big J's birthday is coming up and he has been looking at ideas of things to get, so I thought I would create a wishlist for him.

Big J is really into Star Wars at the moment. He does this every year, he becomes obsessed with Star Wars but then he moves onto something else but it always comes back.

Teenage Dirtbag

Okay so big J isn't actually a teenager yet he's still got another 14 months to go but he certainly acts like one.

When you look at big J you would think he is a lovely, well mannered, clean boy. Well two out of the three are correct. He is lovely, well mannered but the clean part I'm not too sure.